Effects of Tractor Powered Tillage Implements on Soil Charateristics and Crop Yields

Abstract

Summary Annual expenditure on fuel consumed in tillage operations runs into millions of rupees in the country. Extreme care should, therefore be exercised in the selection and use of equipment for seedbed preparation with a view to minimize fuel energy spent in the agriculture sector. Ironically, Pakistani farmer are accustomed to excessive plowing with an ineffective cultivator under all types of soil and crop condition. The excessive use of cultivator is not only uneconomical from the stand-point of fuel energy but is also detrimental to soil structure. Thus, there is need to assess the effects of different tillage and fuel economy under different soil and crop condition. Accordingly, the following set of tillage implements was selected for trails with a view to determine an appropriate implement or asset of implement: Year tillage implements used 1. sub boiler, cultivator, cultivator 2. disk harrow, cultivator, cultivator 3. disk plow, disk harrow, cultivator 4. mold board plow, disk harrow, disk harrow, cultivator 5. disk harrow, disk harrow, disk harrow Second 1. disk harrow (2 times) 2. sweep cultivator (2 times) 3. disk harrow, followed by narrow tine cultivator ( 2 times) 4. harrow tine cultivator ( 3times) Third 1. narrow tine cultivator ( 2times) 2. disk harrow followed by narrow tines cultivator 3. 3. Disk harrow (2 times) 4. Sweep cultivator ( 2times) 5. Rotavator ( 2 times) 6. 6. Narrow tine cultivator ( 5 times) Forth i) At agricultural farms: primary tillage secondary tillage 1. Disk plow cultivator 2 times 2. Disk plow sweep cultivator, sweep cultivator 2 times 3. Cultivator 4 times cultivator 2 times 4. Disk harrow 2 times disk harrow 2 times 5. Rotator bode rotator bode ii) At agriculture Engineering Director Faisalabad farms Primary tillage secondary tillage 1. Disk plow cultivator 2 times 2. Do sweep cultivator 2 times 3. Do disk harrow 2 times 4. Mold board plow cultivator 2 times 5. Do sweep cultivator 2 times 6. Do disk harrow 2 times 7. Cultivator 2 times cultivator 2 times 8. Bullock dawn bullock drawn munnah 2 times munnah 2 times During third year trials, a control plot was included to study effect of our traditional practice of plowing several times with cultivator. These trials were conducted on soils varying in texture with a view to study the interaction of soil type and tillage treatments. After seedbed preparation with the above sets of tillage implements penetration resistance, shear strength, emergence force, yield of wheat and economic returns. What was seeded with a tractor drawn calibrated grain drill. Emergence force was calculated add wheat yields were finally recorded after harvesting. The economic returns from each tillage treatment were also worked. The following conclusions were drawn: 1. Different tillage implements had different effects on soil penetration resist, shear strength, emergence force, yield of wheat and economic returns. 2. Heavy soil requires more passes of tillage implements for optimum seedbed preparation 3. In the light of the variable considered in this investigation our most popular tillage implement a narrow tine cultivator responded poorly, suggested that its use be restricted. 4. The traditional practice of plowing several times with a narrow tine cultivated carries little benefits 5. Use of rotator in seedbed preparation may be recommended with reservations. 6. Economic returns were the highest with disk harrow and sweep cultivator 7. Admittedly, disk harrow and sweep cultivator are better implements for seedbed reparations. However, higher initial cost of foreign makes of disk harrow and manufacturing complexity are, perhaps the constraints, discouraging its popularity in the country. 8. Primary tillage with moldboard and disk plow had favorable effects on the seedbed environment, but its use an avoided due to high cost or operation. TShe trail have established the superiority of operation either with the disk harrow or sweep cultivator in preparing he seedbed from the standpoint of minimum tillage, soil characters yield and economic returns. However, the higher initial cost and manufacturing complexity discourages the large scale production and use of disk harrow.